How to Get Streak-Free Laminate Floors

When it comes to choosing floors for a home improvement project, many homeowners opt for laminate flooring to get an elegant look at a cheaper price. They appear similar to wood and alike floor materials, but are easier to install and less expensive than natural flooring alternatives. On top of this, ease in maintenance is one of the advantages of laminate flooring. So, getting streak-free laminate floors is definitely not a herculean task, or something that you should be concerned about.

Laminate floors are prized for their attractive looks and increased durability, much more than superior quality carpets. But, to extend their longevity and make them gleam, regular cleaning is a must. A common complaint raised by customers is increased likeliness to develop streaks, scratches, lines and unsightly marks on the floor surface. Another problem is bending, warping and expansion of the laminate planks, which are mainly because of accumulated moisture.

The root cause for developing scratches over laminate floors is deposition of sand, dust, dirt and grit particles on the floor surface. When rubbed with another surface, these particulate materials produce grinding effect and result in scratches. So, keeping the upper decorative coating free from dust is a simple tip to avoid formation of unwanted lines and scratches.

Considering the fact that dust materials are the main contributors for floor scratches, avoiding their accumulation as far as possible is an important aspect for caring laminate floors and making them look new. You can adopt easy ways to care for laminate floors, of which some are highlighted ahead:

• Place quality mats at the entrances to collect dust and dirt that come along with shoes and footwear. This will significantly keep away unwanted particles from depositing on the floor surface.

• Avoid sliding or moving heavy objects across the laminate floors. Also, make use of floor protectors or pads under furniture or large objects. By doing so, you can reduce their abrasive effects effectively.

• If you have pets at home, make a point to trim their nails regularly. As they have a habit of scratching the floor and causing streaks, keeping the nails short is a practical solution to reduce scratching.
• In case of liquid spillage, soak it up with an absorbent rag without wasting time. This is nothing to do with maintaining streak-free laminate floors. But, it certainly helps in extending the durability of your flooring.

Cleaning laminate floors without leaving streaks is all about sweeping, vacuuming and dry mopping. Before mopping, you will have to make sure that larger grit and sand particles are removed properly. The point is to sweep or vacuum prior to wiping these floors. Never use abrasive cleansers to clean this synthetic flooring material.

• Clean door mats on a regular basis. Even if you place them, you can expect some amounts of dirt on the floors.
• Sweep or vacuum the floors regularly. Larger the number of members in your home, the more frequent you need to sweep and clean the floors. But, using an extra wet mop for wiping laminate floors is strictly not recommended.

• A homemade solution to clean laminate flooring is prepared by dissolving 1 cup distilled vinegar in clean water. Moist a rag (not damp) with this vinegar mixture for cleaning floors. Dry floor immediately with soft cloth.
• In the market, you will get cleaning agents that are specially formulated for laminate flooring type. Basically, they are sprays and liquid solutions, which should be used after spraying on a dry mop or cloth.

In a nutshell, instructions involve following the manufacturer's guidelines about protecting, cleaning, maintaining and timely repairing them (whenever applicable). If you find the steps of cleaning laminate floors time-consuming, consider applying a tough coating over the flooring. It provides protection to a large extent, thereby preventing dust and dirt from coming into contact with the floor surface. However, the basic laminate flooring care tips still need to be followed for keeping your floors streak free and clean.